Fishing reel



Nov. 14, 1939.

w. L. ADAMS FISHING REEL Original Filed Sept. 28, 1931 INVENTOR WALTERL. ADA/15 41% 0k. 57

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PAT-E NT OFFICE FISHINGREEL Original application September 28, 1931, Serial Divided and thisapplication July 10, 1936, Serial No. 89,895

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to fishing reels and has for its objectsand purposes the improvement of reels similar to existing types in orderto strengthen and reinforce the same at points of greatest strain, aswill be more fully set forth herein. The application is a division of my30- pending application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 565,506, filedSeptember 28, 1931, which has matured into Patent No. 2,055,447.

It is one of the objects of the invention to improve upon mechanismsemployed in reels which may be converted into free spool reels, andparticularly to improve upon such reels as shown, for example, in theprior patentto the present inventor No. 1,608,287 of November '23, 1926.Reels of this general form comprise a shiftable plate which supports thecrank shaft and gear; and is movable to bring the gear into and out ofmesh with the pinion upon the spool shaft. When reels are constructedfor the purpose of deep sea fishing, the strain and stresses exerted onthe spool and the gearing are very heavy, and with former reels of thisconstruction it was not uncommon for the mechanism to be forced or bentout of operative position by the strains exerted upon the spool. One ofthe objects of the invention is to improve upon this type of reel and tomake it impossible for the gearing to be forced out of its properoperative position.

A further object of the invention is to improve upon the means employedfor anchoring the cross plate in the ends of the reel, which are usuallyof a molded composition, either hard rubber or Bakelite. Theconstruction shown and described herein strengthens the reel at thepoint of attachment between the cross plate and the reel frame.

There are other objects and advantages as will be understood by thoseskilled in the art, it being the intention to illustrate the best knownform of the invention and not to confine the patent or the claims beyondtheir fair scope. obvious that changes and modifications may be made inspecific embodiments of the invention without departing therefrom.

Of the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the reel structure, the end plates beingshown in section on the line ll of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a section onthe line 22 of Figure 1 showing an anchorage forthe cross plate;

Figure 3 is a sectional view along the cross plate anchorage; and

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

The reel structure is composed of a front plate It is also I and a rearplate 2, each of which is composed of a suitable molded composition,such as hard rubbenBakelite or the like. 1 The plates are connected bythe usual pillars .3, two-of which, designated as 3 are somewhat heavierfor attachment of the cross plate 5 by which the reel is mounted on therod. Where large game fish are to be landed, the form of reelheretoforeused, with the standard anchorage for the cross plate, hasfailed frequently at the point where the pillars are received in the"end plates.

For the purpose of remedying this defect, the invention proposes to setin the flanges on the end plates a pair of arc-shaped metal plates eachof which extends around a substantial area of the end plate. Theseplatesare set within recesses (formed in the end plates when they aremolded) and are provided with a plurality of spaced openings 6 intowhich the molded material will be received so as to anchor the plate 5on the end plate. The ends of the pillars 3 are reduced, as shown inFigure 3, and each end received in a socket 'l in the end plate, theholding screws 8 passing into the pillars at the center thereof. It willbe seen that the construction described gives a very substantialanchorage for the pillars and thus enables them to withstand excessivestrains without breaking the composition end plates.

The spool is indicated at 10, being provided with flanges H which run ingrooves l2 formed in the end plates. The spool is mounted upon the shaftl5 which is reduced at the ends, as shown at I6. At the end of the shaftnear the front plate, the spool pinion I8 is mounted.

The mounting for the spool shaft I5 is the same at both ends, andcomprises a bushing that has an enlarged head 2| of hexagonal form atits inner end, said head seating in a similarly shaped socket formed inthe end plate. The outer end portion of the bushing is screw threadedand receives a nut that is formed with a tubular axial extensionconstituting a cup or circular seat 26 in which is seated a flattenedspring ring (not shown). Threaded over the outer end of the bushing is athrust bearing or cap 29 that has an axially extending sleeve that isreceived within the tension cup so that the spring ring therein bearsagamst the sleeve to maintain the cap in position. The end of the shaftI5 bears against the inner surface of the cap 29 as shown. Thearrangement is such as to facilitate the oiling and repairing of thereel, and permits the ready removal of the bushing 20.

In order to drive the reel, a gear 35 is secured to the reel crank shaft36, meshing with the pinion I8 when in driving relation. To make thereel adjustable for free-spool operation, the shaft 36 is mounted in ashiftable bridge 38 which is angular or substantially U-shaped, as shownin Figure 2, being pivoted as at 31 to a post secured in the front plateI. The bridge is so shaped and proportioned that when in the full lineposition shown in Figure 2, the gears l8 and 35 are in mesh. When movedto the dotted line position, the gears are out of mesh and the spool isfree to turn upon its axis. The end plate is recessed to permit shiftingof the crank shaft and gear.

One end or arm of the lever which constitutes the bridge is slotted asat 39 and received over a headed pin 39*. The opposite end is providedwith a slot 40 in which is located a pin 4| eccentrically located upon arotatable post 42 which is mounted in the end plate and shifted by alever 44. This is the construction shown in the prior Adams patent.

It has been found that excessive loads and strains to which these saltwater reels are subjected cause them to bend and become displaced. Ipropose, therefore, to provide the arm of the lever near the operatingpoint with a slot 48 and to receive therein a pin 50 mounted in the endplate. The end of the pin is provided with a cap 52 peened in place andbearing upon the lever or bridge. The end plate is formed with a boss 53bearing against the under side of the bridge. This construction willhold the bridge in place and will prevent the objectionable resultsreferred to, as the bridge is confined by the headed screws or pins uponopposite sides of the pivot point of the bridge.

Except as herein referred to, the reel structure is of standard or usualform and will not be further described. It is also possible to changethe form or details of the features of improvement without in any waydeparting from the essentials of the invention as described and claimedherein.

What is claimed is:

1. In a reel structure, an end plate, a spool, a pinion on the spool, alever pivoted intermediate its ends on the end plate, a crank shaft anddriving gear carried on one arm of said lever adjacent its pivot, meansassociated with the free end of the other arm of the lever for shiftingthe lever to move said driving gear into and out of mesh with saidpinion, the free end of the first mentioned arm having a slot thereinbeyond the driving gear, a headed pin extending through said slot andsecured to the end plate, the other arm having a slot therein betweenthe pivot and said shifting means, and a second headed pin extendingthrough said last-named slot and secured to said end plate.

2. In a reel structure, an end plate, a spool, a pinion on the spool, alever pivoted intermediate its ends on the end plate, a crank shaft anddriving gear carried on one arm of said lever adjacent its pivot, meansengaging the free end of said lever arm for holding it to the end plate,means associated with the free end of the other arm of the lever forshifting the lever to move the said driving gear into and out of meshwith said pinion, and means engaging the lever arm between the pivot andsaid shifting means for holding said arm to the end plate.

WALTER L. ADAMS.

